Travellers: Caravan Sites

Roberta Blackman-Woods: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what steps his Department is taking to reduce potential tension arising from his Department's guidance on Planning policy for Traveller sites.

Brandon Lewis: Under the Labour Government's flawed planning rules, a sense of unfairness was embedded in the planning system. Unauthorised developments created tensions between Travellers and the settled population, while some community groups seemingly were given favoured treatment. That approach harmed community cohesion. We want to redress the balance and put fairness back into local communities and ensure everyone is treated with respect.
	As outlined in my answer of 25 April 2013, Official Report, column 1132W, we have revoked the top-down regional targets of the last Administration, given councils greater local discretion and removed the guidance which pressured councils to compulsory purchase land for Traveller sites. Strong consideration is given to the protection of local amenity and the local environment amenity.
	Through the Localism Act and our reform of Temporary Stop Notices, we have given councils greater powers to tackle unauthorised development and stop the abuse of retrospective planning permissions. The previous perception that a blind eye was turned to breaches of the planning system by certain groups was particularly harmful to community relations.
	As I explained in my written statement of 1 July 2013, Official Report, column 24WS, we have revoked the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister's politically correct practice guidance of 'Diversity and Equality in Planning' which failed to strike the correct balance between the spatial impact of a planning proposal and the background of the applicant in considering a planning application.
	Finally, as I indicated in my written statement of 17 January 2014, Official Report, column 34WS, we are also considering the case for further changes to planning policy and practice guidance to strengthen local environmental protection and ensure that the planning definition of 'Travellers' better reflects those who actually travel and have a mobile or transitory lifestyle.

Travellers: Caravan Sites

Roberta Blackman-Woods: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what mechanisms there are to enable local authorities to work collaboratively in relation to his Department's planning policy for Traveller sites; and what sanctions apply if local authorities do not work together.

Brandon Lewis: We introduced the Duty to Cooperate to require authorities to work together effectively on strategic planning matters that cross their administrative boundaries, including, where applicable, the provision of Traveller sites.
	Local planning authorities should make every effort to secure the necessary cooperation on strategic cross boundary matters before they submit their local plans for examination.
	Local planning authorities must demonstrate how they have complied with the duty at the independent examination of their local plans. This locally-led approach is in contrast to the top-down regional targets of the last administration which fuelled conflict and resentment.